Signs & Wonders Blog

In one of his YouTube videos , conservative radio talk show host Dennis Prager asked, “If you saw your dog and a stranger drowning, which would you save first?” In surveys he’s done with students, two-thirds have voted against the stranger. British evangelist Leonard Ravenhill stated, “Today’s Christians spend more money on dog food than missions.” One study determined Christians spend twenty times more money on Halloween costumes for their pets than preaching the gospel in unreached areas. That demonstrates how some believers value their pets more than men's souls. Jesus said in Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” I know how painful it is to lose a pet. As a boy, I wept heavily after the family cat got hit by a car and died. While some believe their deceased pets are in heaven , they don’t need to be redeemed. Jesus came to bring salvation to humans, not animals. It should also be pointed out God Himself said that man was alone until He c...

It disturbs me when I meet professing Christians who give excuses not to attend church . Two days ago, I witnessed to a man riding a bicycle in front of my house. He insisted, “We are having church right now.” Jesus did say in Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” However, the body of Christ cannot function to its fullest when believers aren’t connected to the fellowship He’s called us to (1 Corinthians 12:18). This man also defended his belief that he didn’t need to read the Bible. I had offered to give him a gospel of John but he refused it because “I have God’s word in my head.” Yes, we should memorize and meditate on it (Joshua 1:8). Still, that’s not a substitute for reading Scripture. Even Jesus read it while in the synagogue (Luke 4:16). Had I thought of it then, I could have quoted Scripture references and challenged this man to tell me what they were. Instead, I recalled this analogy Kenneth Copeland sha...

As last week’s blog article stated, October is Clergy Appreciation Month. There’s also a Clergy Appreciation Day on the second Sunday in October (which happens to be today). Since the early 1990s, these unofficial holidays have reminded congregations to honor ministers and their families.   Sadly, too many Christians use the Internet to criticize preachers  they don’t like. How about they instead express gratitude for the ones who helped them grow in the Lord? Over the years, God has used ministers from various denominations to speak into my life. Some are pastors whom I previously wrote about in this list . This article will highlight others who weren’t mentioned: John Arnott - In 1994, a supernatural move of God began at Toronto Airport Vineyard. Changed lives resulted from what became known as “ The Toronto Blessing .” I first saw Pastor John during a 1995 meeting in Minneapolis. A few weeks later, I made the first of many visits to the church now known as Catch the Fir...

October is Pastor Appreciation Month. This tribute is for one who went home to be with the Lord last Sunday. Al Best oversaw Light in Anoka Church in a northern suburb of Minneapolis. Originally from Florida, Al first gave his life to the Lord at 17 but then backslid. Meanwhile, he served 21 years in the Navy and worked various jobs. That included selling Rainbow vacuum cleaners. I would eventually get to know his sales manager. Eric Gonyon became an associate pastor at Rodney Howard-Browne ’s church (I usually attend services there when in Tampa).  A few years after recommitting his life to the Lord, Al became a pastor. In 2007, the Lord directed him to head north to Minnesota, where his wife Jean is from. First, they ministered in the small town of Dassel. What started as a youth mission transitioned into regular services for all ages. Then in 2016, Al and Jean moved to Anoka to take on a church originally called New Day Fellowship. To counter the city’s motto as the “Hallowee...